The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hi everyone, hope you’ve had a good couple of weeks?

I was in a bit of a slump so went back to bi-weekly updates….but then my reading picked up again so I’m back in business!!

A few weeks left until school finishes for 6 weeks and we are going on holiday! I cant wait!

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What I’ve Read

🎧 The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review here


🎧 The Darkening by Sunya Mara
🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review closer to release day but you can find on Goodreads here


By Virtue I Fall by Cora Reilly
🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review here


Longshadow by Olivia Atwater
🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review closer to release day but you can find it on Goodreads here

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New arrivals

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

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In case you missed it…..

Arc Review – Dragons Promise by Elizabeth Lim
Review – Stealing Infinity by Alyson Noel
Challenge – Audiobook challenge update
Feature – Best Books update
Challenge – Beat the Backlist update

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What have you read lately?

Here we are with my second update of the year. I find it easier to update quarterly so it lets me know if I am doing ok!

I said I wanted to read 24 backlist books and in my first update I revealed I had read 12 in the first quarter of the year. You can see my first update here.

In the second quarter I have read another 9 books which is a grand total of 21 backlist books read this year so far. So I’m nearly there and should 100% beat the number of books I wanted to read!

13) Lacybourne Manor by Kristen Ashley
14) Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
15) Dark Fae by Caroline Peckham (5 books but count as 1!!)
16) Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

17) Becoming his Monster by Amelia Hutchins
18) Crave by Tracy Wolff
19) All for the Game Trilogy by Nora Sakavic (3 books)
20) The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune
21) Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco

Did you take part in this challenge? How are you doing?

Happy July!!!

Just a short post to wish you a great month and leave you with a couple of quotes!

“If you’re not barefoot, then you’re overdressed.” – Unknown

“July: Just take me to the Ocean.” – Unknown

Aaaah, books, don’t we just love them (hellz yes!)

What better way to spread that love by posting….well, about how much we loved them!

Each year I do a halfway through the year post and a Blogmas post about the best books I’ve read this year….so here is my halfway post!

These are my ‘best books’ of 2022 (not necessarily released then, I read then!)

Zodiac Academy (books 2, 3 and 4) by Caroline Peckham
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni
All for the Game Trilogy by Nora Sakavic

What have been your best books so far this year.

A little mid year update to see if I am on track!!

The Audiobook Challenge is ran by The Caffeinated Reviewer and she asked us to choose our level and rock our ears off!

#2022AudiobookChallenge


I listened to 12 audios in 2021 so I wanted to beat that so I said I wanted to go for 15 listens! (10 to 15 – Stenographer – can listen while multitasking!!!)

Well hold on to your horses because…..I HAVE REACHED MY GOAL ALREADY!!!!!

So in true bookworm style, I am moving the goalposts and now I am aiming for Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) – 20-30 audios!!!!

Here are the 15 I listened to from January until now:

1) Red Rising by Pierce Brown
2) Evershore by Brandon Sanderson
3) Daughters of Nri by Reni K Amayo
4) Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
5) Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

6) The Poppy War by RF Kuang
7) Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin
8) Black Witch by Laurie Forest
9) Iron Flower by Laurie Forest
10) Shadow Wand by Laurie Forest

11) Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
12) Becoming his Monster by Amelia Hutchins
13) Crave by Tracy Wolff
14) The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune
15) A Destiny of Dragons by TJ Klune

Did you take part in this challenge? How are you doing?

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Books On My Summer 2022 To-Read List

I find these hard to write, well maybe not write but to stick too as I’m such a mood reader but these are books I want to read soonish…..maybe, probably!!!!

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Heat Wave by TJ Klune
Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco
Steelstriker by Marie Lu

Penmort Castle by Kristen Ashley
Untethered by Kaylynn Flanders
Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
Namesake by Adrienne Young
Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

What books are on your summer reading list?

Title: Stealing Infinity

Series: Stolen Beauty #1

Author: Alyson Noel

My life goes completely sideways the moment I meet the mysterious Braxton. Sure, he’s ridiculously hot, but he’s also the reason I’ve been kicked out of school and recruited into Gray Wolf Academy—a remote island school completely off the grid. I never should have trusted a face so perfect.

But the reality of why Gray Wolf wanted me is what truly blows my mind. It’s a school for time travelers. Tripping, they call it. This place is filled with elaborate costumes and rare artifacts, where every move is strategic and the halls are filled with shadows and secrets.

Here, what you see isn’t always what it appears. Including Braxton. Because even though there’s an energy connecting us together, the more secrets he keeps from me, the more it feels like something is pulling us apart. Something that has to do with this place—and its darker purpose. It’s all part of a guarded, elaborate puzzle of history and time…and I might be one of the missing pieces.

Now I have all the time in the world. And yet I can’t shake the feeling that time is the one thing I’m about to run out of…fast.

‘When you can’t go back, the only choice left is to move forward.’

This is what Natasha is left with after she is framed and finds herself with a choice. Her Dad has gone, her mum is just vacant and Natasha has spiralled downwards. So she opts for a new life at Gray Wolf Academy, owned by mega rich recluse, Arthur Blackstone. And it is beyond anything she knows!

What follows is Natasha’s huge character growth with an evil genius and his minions at her side doing things she would have never dreamed of!

This was a unique, fast paced plot which left me on the edge of my seat!

I absolutely love the idea of Gray Wolf Academy and would love to visit it! I loved seeing Nat coming into her own, the scheming and I actually really liked how all the characters were written. As I said, the plot was unique so that’s a plus and and going back to all those historical places was magical.

Braxton has a place in my heart and I am hoping my trust isn’t misguided!!! Also I am very, very curious about Killian so am hoping well see more of him in the next book!

Title: The Dragons Promise

Series: Six Crimson Cranes #2

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori’s aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she’s fought so hard to win.

Let me just start by saying this……I’m not up for triangles. The reason I’m not is because normally my fave guy loses!! So imagine my surprise in SCC when I loved both. Equally. What would this book do to my heart?

Well lets find out!

‘Make sure he deserves you.’

In this book we went from the dragon city of Ai’long back to Kiata then to a forbidden land with Shori on her adventures to reunite the pearl with its owner and stop the evil Bandur. With him haunting her every step!

Although I found this book slower than the last there were so many things I loved…..

~ Seryu – my dragon prince!
~ Ai’long, the dragon world, it was described so beautifully!
~ A familiar character who bought me a lot of joy!
~ Takkan, what a heartthrob!
~ Kiki – she is up there with my fave sarcastic animal sidekicks with her keeping it real attitude!

And one last mention of a new someone who is a totally new fave! Elang……

‘You’d do well to remember this: your heart is your home. Until you understand that, you belong nowhere.’

I’m hoping next for a book about Elang? Finding his pearl and his HEA?! Please!

In conclusion, my heart wasn’t broke and this was a good read!

Title: Family of Liars

Series: We Were Liars #0

Author: E Lockhart

A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts.
A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow.
A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy.
A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes.

Welcome back to the Sinclair family.
They were always liars.

‘I have been a liar all my life, you see.
It’s not uncommon in my family.’

My thoughts mostly in this book were…I don’t think our narrator is a liar. Then the last half happened and boy was I wrong!!! They all were!

Back with the Sinclair’s at Beechwood but at a different time from We Were Liars.

I don’t really want to say anything about the plot so here are some things I loved…..and loved not so much!!!

~ I love it when I read my name in a book but a main character is amazing!!

~ Simple Minds, Simon Le Bon….love hearing about those times!

~ Jaw dropping moments, betrayals and bits where I thought I knew what was coming and my heart was in my mouth yet again!

~ I was a bundle of nerves moving onto the next chapter, nervous of what would happen, what betrayal would happen next!

~However there was one character I hated. I didn’t like Penny one bit in We Were Liars so I wondered if my opinion of her would change. I can report it did not, in fact I hated her more!!!

I read this book as a readalong with Tandem Collective and the publisher, Hoy Key Books. I love a readalong because they really make you think about each event as it happens, the discussions instead of just reading the words but not really taking it all in and thinking!

Loved it, a great prequel.